Ugh. This post should be easy to write. Yet I have now deleted it four times. The issue is that I really don’t have a clue what the future holds. The only solid answer I can provide is that horses will likely be in my life for many years to come. Otherwise, why even go through the torture of farm shopping?
Gem will be retired within the next 3-5 years which puts her in her mid 20s and us having suffered with each other for over a decade. It will be time even if she is mentally and physically still able to be ridden. She will have more than earned her last several years eating grass and being sassy in the pasture with her BFF Pete.
The next 3-5 years will be similar to the last one. Lots of lessons, some small local shows and gradually making some small steps of progress in our way of going. My end goal with Gem is to show at the 2’3″-2’6″ level and be able to canter in the dressage arena without being complete idiots. We are now at 2′, so I think it should be within our grasp to move up 6″ more in the next 5 years.
But after that? I haven’t the foggiest idea. I’m sure I’ll get another horse. It is just that I have no clue what the horse will be or what my own free time is going to look like. Wyatt will be 10 years old and I am sure he will have activities and sports and things of his own for me to attend which will all detract from any riding time available. I don’t judge others and how they make their families work, but in mine our hobbies do not trump anything Wyatt related. Heck just this past holiday weekend I sat waiting in line for Santa Clause and missed any chance to enjoy the 60 degree sunny day for riding. Wyatt trumps it all and I never regret my decision to watch him play at the park instead of ride. A lot depends on what he gets into, if he wants to ride or not and how much time I have outside of that. Work, Wyatt, me time. Its the way it goes in my life and I am happy for it.
Time will tell where I go beyond Gem. I have said ever since Wyatt was born that had he come first I never would have gotten Gem. It is very difficult to balance it all, but I also really need that riding time to maintain my own sanity so I’m sure the post Gem era will look a lot like the current one with a lot of lessons, some stolen time to ride with friends and a sprinkling of shows here and there. I just hope the next horse forgive me a little bit more in my own greenness.
The Roaming Rider 
i admire your ability to juggle kids with horses. And I think you are doing a great job and am hopeful once Gem is retired (or before) a new horse falls into your lap (Well not literally LOL)….and i hope the right farm comes along. It has been fun reading all your posts!! thanks for doing the 30 days. WHEW.
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There is a hopeful light at the end of the Farm search tunnel. Will know within the next couple of weeks where we stand on that front
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shhhh tell no one. keep quiet. jinx nothing 🙂 LOL
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I totally hear you on the kids come first thing. My oldest son plays baseball and there have been many nights I have sat on a baseball field, swatting flies or freezing my butt off, instead of riding my horse! 😉 I think it is a fine balance, because I do try to carve out my horse time as much as I can without sacrificing my kids, because having horse time definitely makes me a better mom and wife! (and overall happy person haha!)
And thank you SO MUCH for participating in NaBloPoMo! There will be a badge tomorrow for you to add to your blog if you’d like!
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It was fun! Thank you for hosting 🙂
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Who knows what the future holds anyways? But it sounds like you have a good outlook on everything and as you said Wyatt is more important than riding 🙂
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He is! I’ll never regret missing a ride but I for sure would regret missing something with him.
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Just some thoughts from the other side of childrearing . . .
As a person who started riding again when my son was 12, he has always been my first priority and his needs have always come first. That said, I have become less and less of a priority for him (except as a source of food), which has progressively freed up more and more of my time the older he has gotten. He went the Xbox direction rather than the sports direction, other than winter downhill skiing, so his teenage years have involved less driving him to places and waiting for him prior to his getting his license. I think the natural progression is that kids find their own social network/things to do that shouldn’t and don’t include their parents. Much to the parent’s sadness. Twelve is not far past where you are thinking Gem will still be a viable mount for you, so it may be that by that time, Wyatt will have his own stuff that involves less time and energy on your part. By his choice.
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Honestly, I hope that is true. My whole goal for him in life is for him to be happy, independent and not an asshole. Whatever career, hobbies or significant other status that brings him that is fine by me. I’m hoping that by 15 or so he is out with his friends exploring the world like I was and that I could then begin my second life. You never know though. The Universe has a funny way of spitting on all our plans.
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I think one of my favorite things about reading other ppls blogs is that it’s so amazing how differently everyone can balance their own personal families priorities and resources in such a way that works for each individual case.
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Yup! To each their own. What works for me and my family certainly would crash and burn another’s family.
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My kids would most definitely trade me in for you 🙈 I’m over here like, “load up, we’re going to a horse show, kids!”
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Hey whatever works! Tonight Dusty was supposed to get Wyatt cuz I needed to run up to Farm House Tack to get a show coat for a show Sunday. He forgot. Kiddo was stuck there until nearly 630
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